Latch for sliding gates



(No Model-y S SHERWIN.

LATCH FOR SLIDING GATES. I

No. 254,058. Patented Feb. 21, 1882-.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC S. .SHERWIN, OF BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

LATCH FOR SLIDING GATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,058, dated February 21, 1882, Application filed November 10, 1881. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC S. SHERWIN, of Battle Creek, county of Calhoun, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Latches for Sliding Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to an improvement in latches for sliding and rolling gates; and it consists in a pawl pivoted in a slotin the gatepost, the lower end of which pawl rests in the beveled end of aprojectin g gate-rail, whereby the gate is securely fastened, the pawl being combined with a lever or levers for trippingit and causing it to release its hold of the gaterail, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

My invention is designed particularly to operate in combination with my gate-support for which I obtained Letters Patent of the United States, dated June 14, 1881, No. 242,797; but it may be used in combination with other gatesupports as well.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sliding gate provided with my locking and supporting devices. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the locking device.

A represents a gate mounted upon the support 13, secured between the posts 0 G. The lower rail of the gate rests in the slotted stud D, fastened in the ground about midway between the gate-posts. The bottom rail, a, and the middle rail, 1), of the gate are provided with projecting ends, that enter the slot 0 in the gate'post E. These projecting ends are rounded or tapered off on their under sides, as shown, to enable them to slide freely over the transverse pin 0?, with which the slotted gatepostE is provided. This pin is placed near the inner edge of the gate-post, and ata suita ble height to place the gate in a perfectly horizontal position when the rail 1) of the gate is resting upon it. The upper portion of the projectin g end of the bottom rail, (1, is sloped away, as shown at c, Fig. 1, so as to allow it to slide under the lower end of the drop-pawl g when the gate is elevated, so as to allow small animals to pass under one end. The projecting end of the middle rail, b, is provided on its upper edge with a \l-shaped bevel, f, as shown. Near the upper end of the gate-post E is pivoted the drop-pawl g, which hangs in the slot 0, and is prevented from assuming a vertical position by the pin 9, which strikes against the outer edge of the post when the pawl has reached its proper position. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The bottom edge of the pawl is slightly beveled, as shown.

To the outer end of the gate is pivoted the bent lever h, the lower end of which projects into the slot 0 when the gate is closed, and restsagainst the inner lower side of the pawl g. The inner end of the lever serves as a handle. On the top of the gate is pivoted a somewhat similar lever, i, which is connected to the lower lever by means of the rod k. Pedestrians use the lower lever when unlocking the gate, and mounted horsemen use the upper lever.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

A latch thus constructed fastens the gate securely, and it is exceedingly cheap, simple, and easily manufactured and operated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination with the gate-post E, provided with a transverse pin, d, and with a droppawl, g, a sliding gate provided with a projecting tapering beveled rail, 1), which rides over the pin d and engages with the pawl g, the gate being further provided with the connected levers h 5, adapted to unlock the gate by tripping the pawl, substantially as specified.

2. The slotted gate-post E, provided with a pivoted drop-pawl, g, and a transverse pin, (1, in combination with a sliding gate provided with the projecting tapering beveled rails 01. b, and the lever h, whereby the gate may be socured either in a horizontal position or with one end raised substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I append my signature.

ISAAC S. SHERWIN.

' Witnesses:

JOHN B. ROBINSON, T. W. HALL. 

